Dana+Batterton


 * Positive Behavior Systems (PBS) **

In a field inundated by acronyms, PBS, PBIS, and SWPBS are just a few used to identify Positive Behavior Systems in schools. The need for such support systems as: Positive Behavior Systems (PBS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and School-wide Positive Behavior Support are growing as students grow in diversity and state-mandated initiatives impact schools. According to Morrissey, Bohanon, & Fenning (2010) “Traditional reactive approaches to discipline are repeatedly failing to improve the behaviors of many students including students from diverse populations and with exceptionalities.”
 * __Research Background__**

Does a positive behavior system improve behavior in a high school setting?
 * __Basic Research Question__**

The purpose of the team and PBS “is to redesign school settings to change both adult and student behavior, actively and frequently monitoring and acknowledging staff and students who are meeting expectations, establishing a small number of specific priorities, and building capacity such that individual staff members contribute to the school organization and the durability of the SWPBS” (Handler et al., 2007).
 * __Literature Review__**

According to Morrissey, Bohanon, & Fenning (2010) “The key elements of a successful school wide PBS system include the following:
 * Committing to addressing behavior in the school.
 * Forming a representative team.
 * Examining behaviors at a school-wide level using data such as office discipline referrals (ODR) and surveys.
 * Choosing three to five behavioral expectations and generating specific examples of these for locations throughout the school.
 * Providing systematic direct teaching of expected behaviors to all staff and students and then acknowledging (rewarding in some way) all those who meet the expectations.
 * Clarifying consistent procedures for responding to problem behaviors.
 * Systematically using data to monitor progress and adjust interventions as needed” (p.28).


 * A School wide Evaluation Tool (SET) or Benchmark Assessment are used to measure PBS effectiveness. These tools evaluate practices and data from ODR’s.

This study will include the students and staff at Palatine, Schaumburg, and Hoffman Estates High Schools. It is necessary to obtain Office Discipline Referral (ODR) data from CISPROD and download it to Microsoft Excel to compare the data. Tardiness, truancy, and id violations are three of the main areas of concern when evaluating the data.
 * __Methods of Investigation__**

-Does a positive behavior system decrease ODR’s in a high school setting? -Is the School wide Evaluation Tool (SET) a valid measuring tool for the progress of the system and for sustainability? -Has PBS “leveled the playing field” for ODR’s when specifically looking at minority students and students with special needs? -Since funding in District 211 has ended for PBS, what will sustainability look like without the constant training and support from Loyola?
 * __New Questions__**

The next step is to obtain data from Palatine, Schaumburg, and Hoffman Estates High Schools to compare the data. An evaluation of the referral form(s), referral codes, and data from CISPROD will be the basis for the evaluation of the data. Please answer the following questions openly and honestly. These questions will help guide my research and pursue of this possible dissertation topic. -Does an acknowledgement system work in high schools? -Do high school educators expect that high school students should know the rules and act a certain way or do high school students need to be taught school behaviors and expectations in school? -Do teaching teenagers behaviors in various school settings (cafeteria, offices, hallways, bus, after school events) improve behavior and reduce ODR’s in schools?
 * __Next Steps__**
 * __Invitation for Participation__**

-Implementation Blue Print and Self-Assessment || []
 * __Visual Aid/Graphic__**
 * Osep Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

** "Creating the Culture of Positive Behavior Supports" ** A film by Gray Olsen and Paula Baumann, Produced for The University of Oregon and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports []

Below is part of a matrix of student behavior expectations. It displays what respect of property looks like in various areas of a school. Throw unwanted items in wastebasket. Keep food and drinks in backpack. || Place tray on kitchen window shelf after scraping leftovers into wastebasket. Wipe table with sponge provided. Clean food spills off floor. || Flush toilet after use. Use two squirts of soap to wash hands. Throw paper towels in wastebasket. ||  ||
 * || **Bus** || **Cafeteria** || **Restroom** ||  ||
 * Respect Property || Keep feet and hands where they belong.